Information for Students

FAQ for Students

Who is eligible to apply for the KRSS program?
  • Students who are in a full-time undergraduate degree program at time of application
  • Students in medical school full-time 
  • High school graduates who are enrolled in a relevant undergraduate program for the fall (proof of enrollment is required)
Can international students apply for the KRSS Program?

International students are eligible for the program if they are legally allowed to work in Canada. Unity Health Toronto and the Office of Research Administration do not assist in visa applications, accommodations or travel.

Who is not eligible for the KRSS program?
  • High school students
  • Graduate students enrolled in an M.Sc. or Ph.D. program
  • Participants in other summer student programs, such as but not limited to; Banting & Best Diabetes Centre, CREMS/IMS, Canadian Blood Services, U of T Undergraduate Student Research Opportunity Program, Ontario Genomics Institute, etc. Please contact KRSS.Program@unityhealth.to for instructions on how to register as a T4A Summer Student.
  • Summer co-op students

If you are looking for non-paid research experience without participating in KRSS programming, please visit the Volunteers  for information about how to apply.

What are the program requirements?
  • Paid students must agree to participate in the program on a full-time basis and not terminate their engagement prior to the stipulated end date. Summer students work 37.5 hours per week (Monday to Friday 7.5/hrs per day). 
  • Volunteer students may be able to work flexible hours.
  • The summer student’s project must take place at St. Michael’s, unless the principal investigator’s office/lab is located off-site.
  • Most summer students are engaged for the full summer term (May to August). The student should be engaged here for a minimum of 4 weeks.
  • It is mandatory for students to have a criminal record check completed. We conduct this on the student’s behalf during the registration process at Unity Health (no need to have it done prior). Please note that a criminal record does not necessarily disqualify you from employment or volunteering).
  • It is mandatory for students to show official proof of vaccine status (minimum 2 doses).
Will I get paid while I’m in the program?

Not all students are paid through the KRSS Program. The program consists of two different types of students:

  1. Students hired as employees of the hospital and paid hourly wage that falls on a pay scale starting from $17.56 – $21.95.
  2. Students registered as research volunteers who wish to gain experience in a research setting (Please note: volunteer students will not be paid stipends/honorariums at any time and will solely act as volunteers).
Who needs to complete KRSS registration package?

Every summer student (paid, volunteer and returning), must complete the KRSS registration package in order to be registered through the Office of Research Administration.

Who do I contact if I have questions about the KRSS program?

We recommend that you read the FAQs carefully as you might find the answer to your question. You can email KRSS.Program@unityhealth.to for any inquiries regarding the KRSS program. Please note this inbox is only checked periodically and response times will not be immediate.

I have questions unrelated to the KRSS program. Who should I contact?

For inquiries unrelated to the KRSS program, please contact Dalbir Singh.

Dalbir Singh
Research Admin Coordinator
Email:ORAResearch@unityhealth.to

 

How do I apply to the KRSS program?

Students must first align themselves with a St. Michael’s Principal Investigator (PI).  Go online and look at the researcher profiles in the Researchers or Research Programs sections of our website and select a few who conduct research relevant to your interests.  It’s important to ensure you are interested in their research and the topic is relevant to your field of study.

If you are not a Canadian citizen, it is important to review the International Trainees section. 

Complete the Summer Student Application Form (krss-application-form) and attach it along with your cover letter and resume when contacting PIs. You must complete a new form for each PI that you contact. Be sure to specify why you are interested in their research program. Ensure that you tailor each application form, as well as your resume and cover letter to the specific PI you wish to work with. For example, if you submit an application to a PI saying you are interested in mouse models and that PI’s research does not involve mouse models, you will not be a successful candidate.

Students can begin emailing PI’s January 1 of the year of the summer program.

Starting Jan. 1, of the year of the summer program you can start emailing your application(s) directly to your selected PI(s). 

Please note: It is up to the PI whether they will engage you for the summer and if you will be paid or a volunteer. 

What happens after a PI has agreed to take me on in the KRSS program?

Registration package will be sent to the student from the PI

 

The student will complete their registration paperwork as well as complete a profile and any mandatory training modules. If all is complete, you will receive instructions on next steps from the KRSS Program administrators.

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